Aishwarya Rathore-
Published On: September 17, 2021, at 13:31 IST
The High Court of Justice in London decided that the Will of the late Prince Philip should be kept a secret in order to safeguard the “dignity” of his wife, Queen Elizabeth II, who is the Head of State of the United Kingdom.
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh died on April 9th, at the age of 99.
Judge Andrew McFarlane stated, “Philip’s Will should be sealed for 90 years. After that, it can be opened privately and decided whether or not it should be published. Because of the Sovereign’s constitutional position, it is reasonable to have a special practise in respect to Royal Wills.”
Wills are usually accessible to public in the United Kingdom, but the High Court has had the power to seal the Wills of senior royals for almost a century.
McFarlane further stated, “There is a need to enhance the protection afforded to truly private aspects of this particular group of individuals in order to safeguard the dignity of the Sovereign and members of the family.”
The Court remarked that while there is “public curiosity” in Royal Wills, there is no true public interest in the public knowing this wholly private information.
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